Poppy's closes in Beacon, owner seeks Hudson Valley expansion

Fans of Poppy’s Burgers and Fries have reason to be hopeful following the closure of its Beacon location in March.

Owner and chef Paul Yeaple aims to re-open in the Hudson Valley and expand.

Poppy’s closed after more than eight years as a fixture of Beacon’s dining scene at 184 Main St. The restaurant was best known for its local, grass-fed burgers, and it gained attention beyond Dutchess County after Yeaple won on Food Network’s “Chopped” in 2010.

The restaurant has been successful and Poppy’s has the potential to work as a concept for multiple restaurants, Yeaple said. However, he couldn’t plan for this type of expansion while also running the Beacon restaurant.

“Poppy’s could evolve into a chain with simple, delicious food, but I would need partners to expand beyond a single store,” he said.

Yeaple, who owned the property, sold the building and plans to find a new location in the Hudson Valley that’s on the “upswing.”

For Yeaple, the Hudson Valley is a key component to the restaurant’s identity. Before closing, the restaurant sourced its beef from Barb’s Butchery and sold craft beer from 2 Way Brewing Company, both Beacon establishments.

“In the Hudson Valley, food and beverage is our resource,” Yeaple said. “I’ve been looking at Newburgh, Wappingers Falls, Poughkeepsie, New Paltz and Kingston, anywhere in the Hudson Valley where I can source local.”

Poppy’s was known for a simple menu featuring a variety of burgers, such as the egghead burger or the barbecue bacon burger. It’s the simplicity of the concept that Yeaple feels made it popular.

“It’s the concept of simple, convenient, and, though I hate to say it, fast food with higher quality ingredients than you would normally find at a burger restaurant,” Yeaple said.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW